Chorzow (Poland): Cristiano Biraghi snatched a late victory to give new Italy coach Roberto Mancini his first competitive victory and keep the Azzurri’s Nations League hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Poland in their League A Group 3 clash here, Sunday.
The 26-year-old defender Biraghi slid in the winner two minutes into injury time for his first goal for Italy in a game his team had dominated. The defeat ensured Poland were relegated to League B.
The victory gave Mancini his first competitive victory since taking over as Italy coach last May, after the four-time World Champions failure to qualify for the World Cup.
“A new cycle has already begun,” said Mancini. “We dominated the game, we had to score the first goal, it would have been unfair to finish 0-0. All the lads are trying to do their best. It’s a good win in a very good game,” he added.
Fiorentina defender Biraghi made the sign ‘13’ with his hands when he scored, as he dedicated his first goal to former Italy and Fiorentina captain Davide Astori who died of a heart attack last March.
“I owe everything to him. I’m here thanks to Davide who was a mentor for me,” said Biraghi, who was called up to Italy for the first time last month at the age of 26.
European champions Portugal lead the three-team group with six points from two games with Italy on four points after three games with Poland relegated to League B with one point.
Mancini stuck with the same eleven he started with in last Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against the Ukraine with Federico Bernardeschi, Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Chiesa leading the attack. Nicolo Barella, 21, was chosen to start over Lorenzo Pellegrini in midfield after making his international debut in Genoa.
Poland opted for the strike partnership of Robert Lewandowski and Arkadiusz Milik over Genoa forward Krzysztof Piatek, who has scored 14 goals in ten competitive games for club and country.
Italy had a goal disallowed after 65 minutes following a well-worked pass between Bernardeschi and Marco Verratti with Insigne offside in the box.
Just when it looked as if both sides would settle for a draw, off the last corner, substitute Kevin Lasagna, who made his international debut, steered in for the Biraghi to finish off.
The result ensures Italy stayed in the tier ahead of December’s Euro 2020 qualifying draw. The Azzurri will next host Portugal November 17 with Poland playing in Portugal three days later.
